Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-09-12
ROCK ISLAND, MONDAY. SEPTEMBER 1s, 1887.
MITklEWICZ AND All SIN.
A CORRESPONDENT WHO THINKS
SOMEBODY is A SUCKER,

And That the Term Doesn't Apply to the
AImond-Eyed Heathen-A Few Facts
That Seem to Indicate That the Counts
Concessions Are a Barren IdeaIity as
1t Were.
CHICAGO. Sept 10 The Heralds special
from San Francisco has the following: A cor
respondent writing to The Bulletin under
date of Shanghai, Aug. "a, says:
"The most contradictory rumors concern
ing Count Mitlsiewicz and his syndicate pre-
vail here. The North China Daily News
gives the establishment of the new bank with
its fullest credit, but there are those who hold
that this journal has been Influenced to
write as it does. One thing is certain: the
syndicate represented by Count Mitkiewicz
has obtained the contract for the establish
ment of telephone hues in all Chinese ports.
But what does this amount to2 Absolutely
nothing, SO far as | can see. The use of tele-
phones in China will be very small for many
years to come. Even in the capital the de-
mand for anything of the kind is insignifi
cantly small, and granting even that this
concession includes-which it. probably
does not-the right of opening tele-
graphic communication between the
various centers of Chinese commerce,
the undertaking is one full of enormous
obstacles, Even in this present year tele-
graph poles have been uprooted and wires
cut because these western innovations are
believed to obstruct the free passage of the
feng shut wind water spirits and thus bring
misfortune upon the land. 1t may just be
possible that the government telegraph be
tween few of the largest cities will escape
the unreasoning dislike of the people. But
even in this case it will require the constant
watchfulness of large body of troops to
keep the line intact. China is not so walked
up as the article of concession granted to the
new corporation would seem to indicate.
Count Mitkiewicz has been laboring for two
years, backed by capital fully adequate TO
carry almost gigantic schemes, but it is not
10 he supposed that this very thing has not
been attempted often enough before. Nor
does it seem probable that the Chinese au-
thorities are so very fond of the United
States they should in this instance have be-
cone so thoroughly Americnized
"And what of the railroad grant! So far
as the line between Tien Tsin and Pekin is
concerned its construction has long since
passed into French hands That nation has
representatives here offering to build the line
10 per cent cheaper than all other competi-
tors 1t is utterly ridiculous to speak glibly
of railroad between Canton and Pekin.
The natural obstacles in the way of such an
enterprise are simply enormous, not to speak
of the fact that the inhabitants of southern
Fuhkien and northern kwangtung, two Of
VIGOROUSLY disaflected, and always opposed to
government innovations. Scores Of years
have still TO pass before such a scheme could
boast even the possibility of success. Much
more likely to succeed would be a railroad
between the capital and some of the most i'm
portant cities on the Yong Tsze The estab-
lishment of line running TO Wuhuhas
has long been projected. Yet even
in this case it must not be forgotten that
these self same towns were once the strong
holds of Taeping rebels, and are far from be-
ing loyal centers to-day. In establishing
railways in this country there are these three
great obstacles to overcome: First, the
broken nature of the country to be traversed; /;
second, the hatred of foreign innovation, and
third, the impossibility of forcing the people
TO work in harmony with the government
ave are told finally" says the correspond
ent, "that the concession made to the Ameri-
can syndicate include minting of new coin
perhaps the issuing of new bank notes, and
the right TO discover and work mines
throughout the empire. As for the first
matter, the rumor is palpabiy false Nothing
of the kind can possibly be true. The gov
ernment has its own mint, and has hitherto
persisJently refused TO allow anv other
nation to interest itself i'll the matter
Copper cash" are the coins current and the
only COINS demanded by traffic i'll the in
terror These are minted In Pekin under
government supervision, and it is very far
from being even probable that the syndicate
of Count Mitkiewicz will get hold of this
coinage, And doubt very much whether it
could pay If they did. With regard TO the
mines one can only trust that the preten-
slons of the count are founded on fact
China's mineral wealth is intellectually large
and only a small portion has been utilized
heretofore Still foreign residents in this
| country completely discredit the counts state
| ments in this connection. Nor can | believe
that the government would ever agree to
such concessions"